Face ID With a Mask, iPhone Setup
- News
- 02 Feb, 2022
iOS 15.4 adds Face ID with a Mask, letting you unlock your iPhone with Face ID even when your face is covered, so Face ID is as convenient with a mask as it is without one.
How Face ID With a Mask Works
With the lower half of your face covered by a mask, Face ID scans your eye area to authenticate your identity. According to Apple, Face ID with a mask recognizes the "unique features" around the eye area rather than looking at the entire face when you're wearing a mask.
When you update to iOS 15.4, there's a built-in Face ID with a Mask setup process that you'll be prompted to complete. It's identical to the original Face ID setup process, and you'll be asked to complete a 3D facial scan.Â
Face ID with a Mask is only available on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 models. It's compatible with the ‌iPhone 12‌, iPhone 12 mini, ‌iPhone 12‌ Pro, iPhone 12 Pro Max, ‌iPhone 13‌, ‌iPhone 13‌ mini, iPhone 13 Pro, and ‌iPhone 13 Pro‌ Max.
It does not work with earlier iPhones and it does not work with the iPad. Apple has not made it clear if there is a hardware limitation preventing the Face ID mask unlock from working with earlier versions of the ‌iPhone‌.